Ladies and gentlemen of the signmaking industry, if you’ve ever once wondered about the what-ifs or how-comes of the wraps business, this article is intended for you. If even the slightest inkling in your head whispers that maybe, just maybe, you might have a sliver of interest in getting into wraps work, please read on. It certainly will not hurt to learn more about how you can get started, and furthermore succeed, in the market. 

 

At one point, Action Graphics & Signs in Chesapeake, Va., felt that inkling, which eventually evolved into a full-blown business plan. This article shares Action Graphics’ story, focused on what it takes to lay the groundwork of a wraps shop and compete with surrounding businesses. No doubt, you’re probably wondering about the financial investment, equipment and stock of materials, time, effort, and space necessary to add the element of wrapping to your services. Well, at the very least, the following pages should give you a basic model of where to start when asking such vital questions. Then in time, as you build on your knowledge, you might one day make the same statement as Autumn Hall-Johnson, Action Graphics’ sales and marketing director: “When you get close to one of our wraps, the first thing you notice is the exceptional quality of workmanship.”

 

Most wrappers will tell you that the goal is to achieve a “paint-like look” when applying vinyl to a vehicle. Wrapping with no seams, in a fluid-manner—as Action Graphics now does—is the first step in accomplishing this objective. But it doesn’t happen overnight. It will take much practice, planning and trial-and-error to become fully operational and profitable as a wraps shop. But, mind you, the day will come.

 

For Action Graphics, the dream began about four years ago.

 

IDEAS INTO ACTION

“Action Graphics president John Hall Jr. purchased the company in 2006 and started to get into the wraps market then,” says Hall-Johnson. “He felt that it would allow him to bring something fresh and new to the sign market in our area, and it hadn’t really taken root in our area yet.”

 

Three core ideals were instilled into the business to help to set it apart from all others: excellent designs, superior customer service and superb quality. By mid 2007, Hall Jr. formed AG Wraps to establish a more precise wraps brand while also increasing the company’s competitive edge. However, Action Graphics made sure to also intertwine the already-established sign portion of the business. 

 

“The goal was to make a niche in the wraps market by letting the market know we are primarily a wrap shop but could still handle all other sign needs such as coroplast signs, site signs and even business cards and T-shirts to match the wrap.”

 

Of course, the process of building up the business required a mountain of preparation, grit and fortitude. And it started by taking existing resources and determining what needed to be added or altered to fit with the company’s new direction.

 

“We had a 30-inch plotter, two employees, a van, and we rented a small 1,500 square foot office/warehouse space,” Hall-Johnson remembers of the shop’s early days. “There was a garage to pull vehicles in, but you could only get one in at a time and it had to be a normal-sized car or truck. We outsourced all of our digital printing for our wraps and digital graphics. We made it work until we could purchase our own piece of equipment.”

 

And that they did when the time was right. Like bricks stacked upon a foundation, each piece was added to allow the shop to run strongly and effectively. First, Action Graphics purchased a 54-inch Roland SP540V printer and a cold laminator, giving the shop full operational abilities from inside its own walls. Hall-Johnson says the purchase allowed production to run much smoother. Next came the building itself.

 

“Shortly after purchasing the printer, John wanted a bigger space and purchased a 3,600 square foot building,” says Hall-Johnson. “When he purchased the building, it was in need of a lot of work since it had previously been an auto repair shop. We had to clean all of the grease, dirt and dust out of there, as well as turn a portion of the building into office space and a showroom. It took a few weeks, but eventually we got everything cleaned up, built out, and moved in.”

 

In addition to the printer, laminator and building space, Action Graphics added two more shop vehicles to the current fleet—all wrapped with the company’s official logo for extended branding. Two employees were hired, with the workforce likely to increase by two again in the near future. 

 

“When we install horizontally in one large piece, having a larger roll of material would allow for seamless installation on larger projects like buses and trailers,” explains Autumn Hall-Johnson of Action Graphics. “We have installed boats in 4.5-foot by 40-foot sections with little effort. We recently completed two 39-foot boats. Being able to transfer the painted look to larger vehicles makes for better quality as well as an easier installation process.”

 

REACHING THE REWARD

One main philosophy remains as true in the wraps industry as it does in any other: “You must spend money to make money.” It’s no secret that certain equipment can be very expensive and might be viewed as a hefty purchase. However, if you’re serious about getting into the wraps industry, think of your expenditures as an investment—just money you’re spending now that you will get back later with more to follow.

Do what you have to do in order to get started, whether that means outsourcing print jobs as Action Graphics had done, or perhaps financing a digital printer to make monthly payments toward owning a dedicated machine. Once you’ve put the necessary pieces in place, you will begin to see the rewards. It is not uncommon to hear about wrap shops completing only a few large jobs and paying off the balance of their equipment debt with the profit.

 

For Action Graphics, after some initial success, the company started noticing ways to improve upon the current business. This is when a real passion for success came into play. 

“Bigger rolls of vinyl and a wider printer” are suggestions the company makes to product manufacturers. Why is that an issue? Because Action Graphics’ job load continues to get bigger and tougher and a need to adapt to the challenge becomes quite necessary.

 

“When we install horizontally in one large piece, having a larger roll of material would allow for seamless installation on larger projects like buses and trailers,” explains Hall-Johnson. “We have installed boats in 4.5-foot by 40-foot sections with little effort. We recently completed two 39-foot boats. Being able to transfer the painted look to larger vehicles makes for better quality as well as an easier installation process.”

 

THE REST OF THE FORMULA

Suppose your equipment is in place and you’ve done a great job of carving out shop space to perform the required wrap tasks. You’re on the right track, but you’re not quite there yet. Keep in mind that some of the smaller pieces of the puzzle—even intangible elements—need to come together as well.

 

Your vinyl selection might be the most important decision you have to make. There are several details to consider, and, when it comes right down to it, you’ve got to make a comfortable and informed decision.

 

Quality is something Action Graphics relies on to rake in referrals and repeat business. Using the kind of vinyl that they do, the company also chooses to bypass any official wrap training and draws from practice to hone installation techniques.

 

“John started out practicing on our shop vehicles, shop walls, cabinets, desks, and even our shop toilet,” says Hall-Johnson. “Through practice, hard work, and dedication he has learned a lot of techniques for installation. He paid very close attention to specs on installation of the material and matching laminate we use for all of our wraps so that he could offer all of our wrap customers a ‘No Questions Asked’ one-year warranty with every wrap purchase.”

 

Design is another element in the process that sets Action Graphics apart from its competitors. The company primarily works with Adobe Photoshop to achieve its realistic effects, but “also uses Go Media software, Aurora Graphics software with Monster Wrap Fills, and Rapture.”

 

Hall Jr. notes that the software is easy to use and allows for decreased design time on each project, in addition to not compromising the natural look of the overall design.

 

All in all, the practices that Action Graphics has instilled—on top of the initial investment and intense climb toward its ultimate goal—have turned the company into an amazing success story. And customers have noticed.

 

To Hall-Johnson, the design and quality of an Action Graphics wrap stand out as its strongest features. 

 

“It would have to be the design first,” she says, “because when you first take a look at our wraps that is the first thing that catches your eye.”

 

In just four years, Action Graphics has multiplied its opportunity in the graphics industry just by adding the capacity to provide wraps. The story illustrated here is just one example of how to reach that goal. What will your strategy entail? Take action today.